Car pulled from canal

RON GOWER/TIMES NEWS A tow truck pulls car from the Lehigh Canal in Weissport early this morning. Nobody was inside the vehicle, which is registered to someone in West Chester.

No one was in car found in Weissport this morning

By RON GOWER rgower@tnonline.com

There were anxious moments early this morning when a car was discovered in three feet of water in the Lehigh Canal in Weissport.

Franklin Township police officer Frank Lorah said Lehighton Fire Department was dispatched with its water rescue squad when a Mazda sedan was first noticed at 5:30 a.m. The passenger window was open. The rescue squad checked the car and found no one inside it.

As of early this morning, police still had not located the operator, who is believed to be from West Chester.

The car is believed to have entered the water from Canal Road, since guide rails exist on Bridge Street and railing is located along the tow path of the canal.

It was spotted about 10 feet from the shore, after apparently going over an eight-foot embankment.

Lorah obtained the registration number and relayed it to the Carbon County Telecommunication Center dispatcher. The dispatcher called the residence that matched the registration.

The person who answered said a son had the car, but didn't know why the car was in this area.

The water rescue team assisted police and a tow-truck driver in pulling the sedan from the river.

Frank's Towing in Franklin Township towed the vehicle from the scene.

Responding besides Lehighton Fire Department were members of Lehighton Ambulance Corps and local fire police.

State police from Lehighton barracks also were at the scene, assisting Lorah.